Midnight Lucky, the lightly raced Sunland Oaks winner, went five furlongs in :59.60 with exercise rider Dana Barnes. She caught up to Code West, who started about four lengths ahead, and matched strides with him at the end.

Code West, with Mike Smith aboard, was clocked in 1:00.40 for the same distance.

Midnight Lucky is a daughter of freshman sire Midnight Lute, a two-time Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner also trained by Baffert. She romped in her debut in February at Santa Anita Park and followed up with a track-record win in her first start at a route distance at Sunland Park.

Baffert said the Kentucky Oaks field, which includes Todd Pletcher’s dominant Gulfstream Oaks winner Dreaming of Julia, is one of the toughest he’s seen.

Midnight Lucky “had to work well like that for me to throw her in with the wolves with Todd’s filly,” he said. “She looks like she’s doing well.”

Baffert said he worked the filly with Code West to give her a target.

“Being that there aren’t any horses out there, it’s pretty quiet.” he said. “I wanted to make sure she had something to focus on.”

Baffert said the Derby status of Code West, now ranked No. 21 with 20 points, remains undetermined. Code West was sixth in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby in his last start.

“He’s starting to do much better,“ he said. “The second time we took him to Louisiana, he didn’t run well. ... but now it looks like he’s coming back.

“Our options are the Derby (or) the Peter Pan (at Belmont on May 11),” he said. “The Belmont (Stakes) has been the target for him. I’ll sit down and talk to (owner) Gary West today.”

• Govenor Charlie went to the track to gallop Sunday but is expected to work today, giving Baffert a last chance to assess the horse before making a final decision for the Kentucky Derby.

Baffert said if Mike Pegram’s Govenor Charlie doesn’t race Saturday, he’ll aim the horse to the Preakness two weeks later.

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Concern arose with the horse after he developed a bruise on his foot. Baffert said he was concerned that the soreness could be related to a bone issue, but after having the horse assessed in Kentucky they ruled out any bone problems.

• After arriving at Churchill on Saturday, Itsmyluckyday went to the track about 7 a.m. just to jog, said Frank Perez, who led the horse around the barn Sunday morning.

Perez said the horse seemed relaxed and easy on the track Sunday.

Itsmyluckyday barely lifted his head as he walked through the grassy area of Barn 41, instead he was intent on nibbling on the grass.

“He loves Kentucky grass,” Perez said. “This is the bluegrass. He puts his head right down.”

• Trainer Doug O’Neill, who won last year’s Kentucky Derby with I’ll Have Another, hopes history repeats itself with Santa Anita Derby winner Goldencents, who made his first visit to the track Sunday after arriving from California on Saturday.

“We’ve got a nice horse this year as well,” O’Neill said. “Goldencents has got the mind. He’s got the physical talents.”

O’Neill said being back at Churchill brings up wonderful memories. “There’s just so much history here, and to be part of it is incredible and hopefully we can add to it.”

Jockey Kevin Krigger was on hand as well to watch his Derby mount Sunday. Being at Churchill Downs for Derby Week is a dream Krigger said he’s had since he was a young boy riding horses in his home in St. Croix.

“I’m just happy to be here,” Krigger said. “It’s my time to prove to the world.”

Krigger said he’s been waiting “my whole life” for a horse like Goldencents to get him to Churchill. “It’s like studying for a test. It’s like you’ve been studying your whole life.” And now that he’s here, “you can relax because you’ve studied.”

He said he likes the speed of the horse, but it’s the horse’s demeanor that has gotten him so far.

“That’s the reason he’s still around, because of his demeanor,” he said. “For as fast as a horse he is, he’s a calm, cool horse.”